Florentine Roses Quilt Pattern

Sometimes the idea for a new quilt design just comes out of nowhere and it’s hard to fathom the chain of thought that sewed the seeds - in this case though, the idea came from two distinct sources that just happened to coincide in a creative explosion at almost the same moment and with an unexpected suddenness. Both came on a midweek rainy afternoon when all seemed flat and colourless. I was searching around for something to watch while I was working on some embroidery and took a chance on an amazon series ‘Leonardo’. Historical fact or fiction is my go to genre for most things and as this had ‘Ross Poldark’ in it, I thought I would watch and see. Almost immediately I was drawn in by setting and costumes and atmosphere of Renaissance Florence. It’s a period in time that I am not overly familiar with, however it reminded me of some fabulous artefacts we saw in the Gaulbenkian museum in Lisbon a couple of years ago. There I was fascinated by some of the early ottoman textiles and patterns and Florence at the time of Leonardo was a hotbed of art and design influenced by some of these things. The colours and richness of the fabrics used at this time is real eye candy and offset by the spectacular architecture of those early Italian cities, there is a world of inspiration out there. I have only been to Florence once, and very briefly at that, but I have been to Venice and Rome several times and am always enthralled by the distinctive style the oozes out of every tile and carving. It set me thinking.

The same week, I did something I never normally do, when an ‘Instagram’ ad, tugged my heart strings and my purse strings as well. Embassy Shoes in London were running a promotional campaign and a certain pair of shoes had me spellbound. Sometimes the internet freaks me out - it seemed to know and kept piling the image into my consciousness until my resistance was worn down. I ordered this pair of shoes - colourful brogues and I can I just say - I am not a shoe girl at all (bag girl maybe…but shoes are always a nightmare for me). I awaited with trepidation - could it be that they could possibly fit?????? When they arrived - it was a cinderella moment.

The thing is though that the shoes were the catalyst for the quilt - however bizarre that might sound. The combination of the fuchsia pink and the black and white herringbone check panels reminded me of the tiled floors found in ancient european cities with a modern vibe. The idea for the quilt formed in its entirety in an instant and the graphics on my laptop quickly assembled into a pattern design that seemed cohesive and sewable.

I absolutely loved making this quilt. The background squares are easy enough to assemble and the ‘on point’ look is a little more interesting. You could of course make this pattern in straight rows too, if you preferred. The appliqué roses are all fixed on with fusible web and machines stitched with variegated thread and a blanket stitch. All of this could be done by hand too. It went together quickly and I loved the textured feeling that the layers of petals produced.

Choosing a backing fabric for this project was easy as I had in mind to use a bolt of delicious fabric that I have been hoarding for ages. The dramatic red and white roses of Bonnie and Camille’s ‘Smitten’ collection had the big impact print that was just perfect for this quilt. I have always been a fan of investing in great backing fabrics as it adds a whole new dimension to a quilt and if your home is like mine - quilts are strewn all over the place and the backing fabric is often on display.

When it came to the quilting I decided to be brave try a more ‘architectural’ design and I made a cardboard template for the diamond shape and drew it in place with a chalk pencil. The free motion quilting makes the design really pop and become a feature. The herribone blocks are quilted with straight lines following the print on the fabric so they were really simple. Once it was complete, I felt that it had encompassed both of the elements that had inspired it. I suspect it will be around a lot longer than the shoes which will be much worn now that the autumn weather is approaching.

There are lots of possibilities to customise this too - using different background colours and for example, I think it would be lovely with white roses for a wedding or a mixture of yellow and orange roses for springtime. I hope you enjoy this pattern. It is available as a pdf or printed pattern in my shop here….

If you want to check out all the fantastic designs that Embassy Shoes in London has to offer - click here.

Meanwhile, you will find me here… and you never know, perhaps these shoes will come to be known as “the shoes that launched a thousand quilts” - that would be fun. Ruby x